To Kill a Mockingbird and The Help Essay

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird and the motion picture called The Help many people are subjects to racism and poverty. Atticus Finch once said “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” Few characters in both the novel and movie take this quote into play, many others too scared of the change that it might bring. Courage, a major lesson in each piece of literature was something that many people each period of time. While the two both have many more things in common they’re also many comparisons in the way that both are taught.

In the novel To Kill a Mocking bird a young girl named Scout tells the story of an African American man who was accused of rape and put on trial in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930’s. The Help was told through the perspective of a young adult living in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960’s. Skeeter seeks to tell the story of African American maids in book that she’s writing. In ways Scout and Skeeter have many things a like; they’re both strong willed and determined girls who don’t reduce themselves to the sexism of both eras. They both have strong feelings for equality of the races and have both have strong bonds with the maids that raised them. Characters in The Help could also be seen or compared to those in To Kill a Mockingbird, for instance Arthur Radley also known as Boo Radley was a reclusive man who did little things to show Scout and her brother Jem that the rumors about him being a bad person weren’t true. Boo could compare with Celia Foote who was labeled false accusations of Jackson’s ladies who labeled as a cheat. Celia tried to do things to be friendly to Hilly and Elizabeth but they refused her kindness. The settings of both the stories take part in their similarities. Both stories take place in the south where worlds like “colored” and “negro” are used often in the segregated America.

While they’re many aspects that they both have in common there are also things that differ in both the novel and movie. In To Kill a Mockingbird the tone could be serious and dreary on the topic of racism and Tom Robinson. While The Help had serious moments it could also be humorous and lively at times even when the subject at hand was just as serious. The Help goes through the motions of showing everyone’s perspective as well. Ablileen, Minny, and other maids got to share their stories in however the Finch’s maid Calpurnia rarely shares many of her opinions in the novel. This is another way of showing the diversity in each story. The biggest thing that sets the two apart is the story line for them both. To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of black man named Tom Robinson who is accused of raping a white woman. Tom is put to trial and is defended by Atticus Finch where he is convicted in an unjust law system. It also tells stories of Scout, Jem, Dill and the troubles that they all get into. The Help is about a young girl called Skeeter, fresh out of college seeking a career in journalism. She decides to interview black maids in which they all share their encounters working for white families.

                In conclusion both the novel and the movie have a meaning much more significant. Within both fictional works of art the lesson being taught is much more extraordinary. Skin color is not defining neither is gender or the amount of money you have, equality of all is much more important. If you reflect on the courage that Atticus had to defend an African American man. The courage of Skeeter, Ablileen, and the several other maids to not only be women to but to see both races as equal. That’s what they both sought out to teach. When believe in the right thing don’t be afraid to be heard and to make a change especially when it could have a powerful impact on other people’s lives as well.